PADDY BORTHWICK PAPER ROAD PINOT NOIR 2023

Paddy Borthwick has a mantra of place, people, passion, and philosophy that produces wines of purity, poise, purpose, and personality. Those are a lot of P words, but perhaps the most important here is price!

$20 Pinot Noir does not come better than this.

Over a century of working the land has taught the Borthwick family a thing or two about quality. From pioneering the English meat trade to raising world-class Angus cattle at Te Whanga Station, their story is steeped in tradition, innovation, and a deep respect for the land.

In 1996, Paddy Borthwick turned that legacy into something new: wine. Family-owned and proudly rooted in the Gladstone region of New Zealand, Borthwick Vineyard produces elegant, expressive wines that speak of place – from ancient alluvial riverbeds and a cool-climate edge to sustainable, hands-off winemaking.

Paper Road Pinot Noir is named after a road that existed only on a survey map, one that would've run straight through the vineyard. The road was never built, so instead Paddy named a Pinot after it!

Aged in French oak (15% new) for 8 months, this is a refined yet approachable Pinot with real depth, and at just $19.99 it’s one of the best-value Pinots you’ll find anywhere.

Grab a bottle (or three) before it disappears down the 'Paper' Road

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"This is about the purity of Pinot Noir with spicy savoury and bright, juicy red florals and fruits. It is medium bodied with soft velvety tannins, a mix of tart and sweet cherry fruit with a chocolate touch to the lightly oaked finish and a spicy zestiness to the lingering aftertaste.

85% French oak aged for 8 months with a mixture of selected cooperages of which 15% of the barrels are new."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Lovely bouquet with ripeness of red berry fruits with a savoury earthy frame. Flavours of cherries and red plums, tart cherry and a strawberry compote idea. There’s a natural youthful tautness as the wine touches the palate – stemming from tannins and acidity, a contrast from red berry flavours and natural sweetness from oak and alcohol deliver contrast and style. Dry, moderate tannins and plenty of acidity, fruit flavours reflect the bouquet, a wine best enjoyed alongside food with best drinking from 2026 through 2030."

5 Stars & 93/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2025 (2023 Vintage)
"Sweetly ripe and inviting, the bouquet shows dark cherry, plum, olive, and warm spice aromas. The palate displays juicy fruit intensity with supple texture and well-balanced tannins, making it beautifully harmonious with a lingering, tasty finish. At its best: now to 2028."